Taking A Breather

I'm taking the weekend off to soak in my favorite ice bath.

You may know it as the Atlantic Ocean.

Have a good weekend!!

Skirting the Line

A few years ago, when running skirts first came out, I couldn't understand them.  In fact, I hated them.  I didn't understand why someone wouldn't just wear shorts.

Then I joined run club.

A lot of the women in run club wear running skirts and I couldn't help but notice how cute they look.  After a few weeks of adjusting to and, later, admiring the look, I bit the bullet and bought the Run: Pace Setter skirt at lululemon.

One thing I love about this skirt is that it makes me look like I have a bit more "junk in the trunk" than I actually do.  (True story: right after my sister's boyfriend met me he told her I could do some squats to build up my backside.  Little did he know, I was already doing hundreds of squats a week...)  In any case, here's a side shot of what it looks like on my flat-as-a-pancake tush:

Please excuse the untied shoes - I still had to put on my compression sleeves.

Once I got used to the skirt flapping against the back of my legs, I didn't notice it.  It wasn't any warmer than wearing spandex shorts and it wasn't constrictive at all.  It was especially nice to have on at happy hour after run club - I didn't feel nearly as self-conscious in a bar full of business-casual-clad people as I usually do.

I bought the skirt in a tall, which allowed me a slightly higher waistband and longer length.  I would recommend this for anyone my height (5'8") and above as some of the regular-length skirts I've tried on are too short.

Would I wear this skirt for longer runs?  Probably not.  The shorts underneath are a bit too short and would eventually result in some serious chaffing.  They are a good length for a short- to moderate- length run (a 10k or less), especially if you are planning on running around town or running errands before or after your run.

I may be a few years late, but I've finally climbed on board the running skirt bandwagon.

Evening Run - No Pain

I think the title says it all.

This evening I went for a 6 mile run which was a) glorious and b) surprisingly pain-free.  I attribute the lack of pain to my compression sleeves because I'm not sure that I'm completely out of the shin-splint woods yet.

Clearly my neon streak continues.

I started out running through Rock Creek Park toward Georgetown, intending to go to the waterfront.  I quickly realized (thanks to the Map My Run app, which I will review at a later date) that I couldn't get down to the waterfront and back in time to meet my family for dinner.

A bit after I hit the three-mile mark I realized I needed to get off of Rock Creek Park Trail and get on some real roads to make my way home.  I saw a super-steep dirt trail on my right and went for it.  It was about a quarter-mile scramble up a steep hill before I hit Q street.  From there, it was time to climb hills on Florida and Connecticut.  This is probably a good time for a confession: I love running up Kalorama hill.  It's steep, it's hard, and I love the feeling of accomplishment I get as I crest it.  It helps that I get views like this at the top as I cross over Rock Creek Park:

Once I crossed the park, it was another mile or so until I was home.  Luckily, I got back just in time to shower and meet my family for dinner at Pulpo.  If you haven't been there yet, go.  The food was delicious and the white sangria was a perfect post-run treat.

Belt It

I bought my first iFitness belt after reading Danica's review back in 2009.  Before that point, I had tried on a few different fuel belts and hadn't found anything that worked for me.  Everything was either too tight around my waist (making my already awkward love handles look even worse) or bounced around when I moved.  I was thrilled to find that the iFitness belt sat "just right" on my waist and stayed in place when I ran.

Since then I've bought two more.  Have I mentioned lately that when I find something that works for me I tend to buy multiples?

My first iFitness belt is on the bottom.  It's the Neoprene Ultimate Running belt.  The main pouch is perfect for holding my phone, keys, ID, and credit cards (there is a separate slot inside the pouch for cards).  In addition to the main pocket, there are six pockets for GU (which, if you think about it, is a LOT of GU), and cords to hold your race number.  I usually wear the belt with the pouch on my back, so I have no use for the race number holder.  I have friends that wear it in front and use this feature - apparently it works really well.

The next iFitness belt I bought is the Neoprene Hydration belt (shown on top).  The main pouch is the same as on the Ultimate Running belt, but there are only two GU pockets on this belt.  The two 6 oz. water bottles stay in place pretty well and usually hold enough water/Gatorade to get me through a 15 mile run in the summer.  When I'm done, I throw the bottles in the dishwasher.  Easy peasy.  This is my go-to training run belt.

My newest iFitness belt, in the middle, is the Neoprene Ultimate II Running belt.  I bought this belt because I forgot my Ultimate Running belt at an out-of-town race, and now it's the belt I use for most races.  It's very similar to the Ultimate Running belt, except that it has four GU pockets instead of six, and an additional side pocket perfect for stashing sport beans or Cliff blocks.  I love using this belt for marathons because I like to switch up what I eat - I get bored eating gels or GUs exclusively for 5 hours.

Here's a photo of the hydration belt in action.  It's hard to get a good shot of it while running - this was taken right before the hand-off for leg 6 of American Odyssey.

I usually position the belt so that the pouch sits on the small of my back.  I find this to be the most comfortable arrangement, but everyone is different.

If you're in the market for a race belt, I can't recommend iFitness belts enough.  If you don't trust my judgement, they're at most race expos so you can try one on and form your own opinion.

When Life Hands You Lemons...

...wear a ridiculous outfit.

This morning was my first run after 16 days of forced rest.  Since I'm not 100% out of the woods and I live in perpetual fear of re-aggravating my dreaded shin splints, I am now running in compression sleeves.  They look sort of ridiculous, so instead of being embarrassed and trying to hide or downplay them, I made sure everyone within a 5-mile radius would notice them.

Behold:

That's right.  I took the "life handing you lemons" analogy to another level.  I'm especially proud of the fact that my short-shorts match the sleeves.  Clearly I own too much neon running gear... or need to get out more.

On another note - when it's 77 degrees with 72% humidity at 7am you see a lot of people running in not a lot of clothing.  All I have to say about that is this: I would love to run in only a sports bra and -3" inseam spandex shorts, but no one wants to see that.  If you are running outdoors, especially in urban or densely populated areas, please do everyone a favor and realize what is appropriate to wear in public and what isn't.  You don't have to be stylish, but it is not ok if I can tell whether or not your bikini line is beach-ready as I run by you.

How was the run?  Hot, humid, and fast.  Apparently my legs were really excited to hit the pavement and I ran 8:30 miles most of the way, slowing down only to go up a couple of steep inclines.  I can already tell that my biggest challenge this summer will be learning to slow down so that I don't overheat.  My shins held up ok, but I will definitely be icing, taking vitamin I, and keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be pain-free and ready to run again tomorrow.

Have a good weekend and remember to hydrate!

Freeing My Feet

Embarrassing but true: for the past two years I've been wearing crocs as recovery shoes between relay legs and after marathons.  I know they're heinous, but they're so dang comfortable I just can't help myself.

I recently realized I need something a bit more supportive (and less embarrassing) to wear post-run and picked up a pair of Nike Free Run+ shoes.

I've been wearing them everywhere.

Seriously.  These bad boys are comfy.

Also, they are NEON ORANGE.  Could I be any trendier?  Even better, they have a lot of reflective detailing that I can't wait to show off between night legs during Ragnar.  All of the grey/lighter black areas of the shoes (seen better in the photo below) are reflective.

If you are thinking about buying these shoes, just do it.

See what I did there?

For Dad

My dad is a trip.

Everyone loves him because he's loud, funny, and larger than life.  What everyone doesn't know is that he's also a complete animal in the gym.  I can guarantee you that, at 69 years old, he is in better shape than I am.  He works out 5x a week and lifts (what I have been told by guys who run in to him at the gym is) a respectable amount of weight.  He is a living example that your health should always be a priority.

My dad taught me how to ski, how to bike, and how to love running.  While he didn't make it to every little league practice and softball game, he taught me how to throw like a boy and got me one heck of a batting coach.  He taught me not only the rules of football, but how to throw a perfect spiral.  When I graduated, he encouraged me to lace up my running shoes and hit the trails.  When I couldn't run a mile, he told me to keep trying until I could.  When I thought I was too slow to be a serious runner, he told me to keep going - speed would come with time and hard work.  He was right.

No matter how busy he is, he makes time to work out.  As I've grown up, he's encouraged me to stay active, telling me that as long as I take the time to work out and take care of my body, my body will take care of me.  Although I don't always heed it, this is an invaluable lesson.  Most of my injuries have been caused by my failure to properly cool down, stretch, or ice sore muscles; while he could tell me "I told you so" every time this happens, he never does.

My dad is always there to give advice when I'm training or injured, to go on morning runs, and to support my crazy ideas.  Each time I've run Marine Corps Marathon he's been at multiple points along the course with a Gatorade and a smile and at the finish line with a camera and a hug.  I can't imagine that I would ever have made it this far as a runner, or a person, without his support and encouragement.

My dad is more than my parent - he's my role model and an inspiration to keep training.

My dad and I after a turkey trot

Happy father's day, daddy.  Rest and enjoy it - July 14th and that last lap you promised to pace me for will be here before you know it!

3 In a Row

This morning, in my continued effort to cross-train and stay in shape, I went to three classes at the gym.

Yes, three.

Apparently my "go hard or go home" mentality isn't exclusive to running.

I started off with an hour long "cycle challenge" class with my favorite spin instructor.  Today's theme was "fathers."  (Sidenote: please remember to call you dad tomorrow.)  The theme was a bit of a stretch, as most song about fathers are slow-paced or downers.  There were a couple of really good ones in the mix though, notably "Gone, Daddy, Gone," which I need to add to my workout mix.

After spin, I headed to CXWorks, which was 30 minutes of core work.  This is not a class for people who don't want to work hard.  I used to go on a regular basis and got to a point where I could keep up with the instructor - today I found myself able to hold a plank for only half of the time I was supposed to.  Even so, I am not going to be able to laugh without pain for the next few days.

After CXWorks I went to Zoomba.  Zoomba is always an interesting experience for me because I have zero coordination.  I felt a bit better about myself today because someone else fell.  Schadenfreude is a terrible thing.  I looked like an idiot throughout the entire class, but I wasn't the only one.  I had a really good time, but all of the jumping around exacerbated my shin splints.  I guess I'll stay away from this one until I've recovered.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to spend some quality time with an ice pack and a bottle of Advil.

Evening Run - Western Ridge Trail

I live near Rock Creek Park, which is wonderful for running.  I have slowly started getting in to trail running, mainly on my lunch breaks, and decided to try a new route last week.

The Western Ridge Trail runs through the park from the MD/DC line to Porter street.  I decided to start my run in the city, cut through the neighborhood I grew up in, and pick up the trail at Grant Road.  I was thankful I had my phone on me during this run not only to take photos, but because the trail branched out in a few places and I needed to pull up a map so I wouldn't take a wrong turn and get lost.  In fact, I originally ran right past the trail as it's not very wide.  

This trail is the polar opposite of the Rock Creek Trail - it's a narrow, winding dirt trail that has quite a few inclines.  I only saw one other person on the trail the entire time I was on it (around 2.5-3 miles) and because most of the trail is in the middle of the woods the only sounds were birds and squirrels.  It was a wonderful opportunity to take off my headphones and enjoy my surroundings (sidenote: I also took off the headphones for safety reasons - any woman running through the park alone needs to be careful, especially if there's no one else around).

Some photos:

One of the forks in the trail:

It got narrower:

I happened upon a random pen - I guess for horses?

The trail is in a heavily wooded area - it got pretty dark in places:

As I got closer to the end of the trail, near Peirce Mill, the trail paralleled the creek.  There were a lot more runners on this section of the trail and I put my headphones on and cranked up the music as most of what I heard was traffic on Beach Drive.

Peirce Mill Barn:

Crossing the creek:

Another photo of the creek... because waterfalls make me happy:

I ended my run cutting through the National Zoo on the Olmstead Walk.  Oddly enough, this was the first time I'd ever run through the zoo.  I wish I had some pictures to share, but I was afraid that if I stopped to take a photo I wouldn't start running again - I'd forgotten how steep that hill is!  It was an interesting little obstacle course ducking around small children and strollers, but it was worth it to see some of the animals - toward the top of the hill I saw a peacock strutting his stuff.  Next time I'll be sure to see the big cats - how cool would it be to run by lions and tigers?!

Spin It

Earlier this week, as I started to exit denial and move toward acceptance, I realized I need to cross-train in a major way.  20in24 is a month away and, while I'm currently not running and hoping for a miracle regarding my shin splints, I need to do something to stay in shape.

During the winter I attend spin class on a fairly regular basis.  I haven't been since March, as lately the weather has been too enticing to spend my cardio sessions indoors.  Yesterday I decided to return to the spin studio.

To my surprise, my favorite instructor now teaches Wednesday nights.  She chooses a theme for each class's music and last night's theme was "partying."  It was awesome.  It was also an excellent workout - we did a lot of hills, sprints, hill sprints, isolations, and lifts.  While it's rare that I finish a run feeling like I couldn't take another step, after 60 minutes of class I walked out of the studio on legs that felt like Jell-O.  Best of all, my shins feel perfectly fine today.

Clearly I'll be back.

Sock It To Me

I am obsessed with a pair of socks.  I know it sounds odd, but they're incredible.

A few weeks ago I was at Fleet Feet getting fitted for a pair of running shoes and needed a pair of socks to try them on with.  Being in a rush on my lunch break, I grabbed the most colorful pair within reach.  Before taking them out of the packaging, the sales associate asked "they're $10 - is that ok?"  Bless his heart - he's clearly unfamiliar with my spending habits when it comes to running gear.

A few days later, I wore the socks on a run.  Today, I went back and bought three more pairs - one in each remaining color they had in my size.

Balega hidden comfort socks may be my new favorite piece of running gear.  The cushioning is substantial enough to feel while I'm running, but thin enough not to impact how my shoes fit.  The material does an excellent job wicking sweat and keeping my feet dry (I know no one likes to talk about it, but everyone's feet sweat!).  They stay up, keeping the backs of my feet and ankles from getting roughed up by my shoes, and, best of all, THEY ARE SEAMLESS.  Yes, seamless.  Think about that in terms of what it means regarding rubs and blisters.

Magic.

The website only offers them in black and white, but I was able to find them in orange, blue, and grey at Fleet Feet.  In addition, they are selling for $11 through the Balega website, but are $9.99 at Fleet Feet.  I  have no idea why this is the case, but I'll take it.  My advice is to check the selection and pricing at running stores near you - maybe you'll find a similar deal.

Your feet will thank me.

Good For a Giggle

Thank you, Brooks for the laugh.

My First Sports Massage

Up until now, all of my (limited) massage experiences had been in fancy spas or on a beach.  Tough life, I know.  While I'd love to get a monthly massage at Red Door, I am not Scrooge McDuck with unlimited resources and a pool of gold coins to swim in.

Scrooge McDuck, for those of you who weren't as Disney-obsessed as I was when you were younger

With that in mind, I needed to find a cheaper alternative.

I have driven by Massage Envy in Bethesda countless times over the past few years, but never had a reason to pay it any attention.  When I googled "Sports Massage + DC" Massage Envy popped up and, with an introductory rate of $49 for a 1-hour massage, I figured "why not?"

Massage Envy is a national franchise of small spas providing massages and facials (at limited locations).  Their goal is to provide spa services at an affordable rate, and they excel at it.  While no one is going to confuse the waiting area of Massage Envy for a fancy spa, the fact that a massage there is 1/3 the price of one at a fancy spa makes up for it.

The massage itself was more than adequate.  Was it the best massage of my life?  No.  But it was worth what I paid and I will definitely be going back.  My masseuse was polite, professional, and responsive to feedback on pressure, etc throughout the massage.  The spa areas, while simple, were clean and inviting.  Most importantly, I was able to get in and out of there on time.  My massage started at 5pm on the dot and I was out the door at 6:02.

When I left, I was given the option to become a "member," which I signed up for.  The massage has helped my shin splints, as well as a sore shoulder, a lot, so I've decided to go back on a monthly basis.  Do I feel like a brat scheduling monthly massages?  Yes.  But they help, and the price is right.

Things to know:

• The spa is very simple - there's a reception area, waiting area, bathrooms, and treatment rooms.  If you're used to fancier spas you'll need to adjust to the fact that there's no locker room or showers.
• An introductory one-hour massage is $49.  After that, you can choose to become a member for a $49 enrollment fee (which they will waive if you join on your first visit).  Membership is $59/month and includes a 1-hour massage each month (so, essentially you are paying $59 for a massage).  Additional massages, extensions, add-ons, and other services are deeply discounted for members (i.e. if I wanted to get a second massage in a given month it would be $49, while a non-member would have to pay $98).  Any services you don't use can be rolled over or gifted during the term of your membership.
• Scheduling is pretty simple - you can schedule an appointment online or call the spa.  I was able to schedule a massage less than 24 hours ahead of time.

Finally, Some Shin Splint Advice

A few days ago, I had a talk with my trainer about the state of my shins.  He gave me some great advice - some of it I already knew, but other things, such as what kinds of stretching not to do, I had no idea about.  I'm sure most of you are sick and tired of hearing about my shin splints, but in case you end up with them yourself, here's his advice:

Stop running or scale back - You can continue to run (for short distances on soft surfaces) if your shin splints aren't bad, but if they're really hurting you need to stop completely.  This is a huge deal for me because I have a hard time accepting limitations.

You don't have stop doing everything - I hate the elliptical, but I'm going to be spending a lot of time on it over the next week or so.

Ice, ice, baby - Sorry; I couldn't help myself.  In all seriousness, icing is really important to reduce swelling and pain.  I hate being cold, therefore I hate icing, but I am trying to be better about it.

Compress - It turns out I'm on to something with the Zensah sleeves.

Take Vitamin I - Ibuprofen is great for reducing swelling and pain.  I rarely take it, but, as Rob put it, "why not? this is what it's made for."  Fair point.

Foam roll - I'm pretty sure this is his solution for everything.  That doesn't make it any less right.

Get a massage - Sometimes foam rolling isn't enough.  This is when you should get a sport massage to alleviate pain and release knots in your muscles.

Take a yoga class - Yoga helps with stretching and strengthening muscles.  It's wonderful cross-training regardless of whether or not you're injured.

Stretch - This is where it gets tricky.  You should not do stretches where your sore or injured muscles are bearing weight.  I did gymnastics as a child and will forever think "if you're a little sore, keep pushing until it hurts."  This is completely incorrect.  Over the past week I have been stretching the wrong way and have done more harm than good.

I took a few photos of stretches you should and should not do with shin splints.  I apologize in advance for the funky outfit (I have limited running gear at the beach) and photo quality (it's hard to teach my 69 year-old dad who has never owned a smartphone to use an iPhone camera).

Don't do these static stretches (leg being stretched is the "naked" leg):

Do these dynamic stretches (leg in the compression sleeve is being stretched):

All three stretches start with your hands on a wall (or column) supporting your body weight.  The leg you are stretching will be behind you, at an angle, as if you are doing a shallow lunge:

Stretch #1

Bring your opposite knee up to the wall straight in front of you, as if you're kneeing someone:

Bring behind you:

Repeat.  I usually do about 15 reps.

Stretch #2

Swing your opposite knee to the outside so that your knees are pointing at a 45-90 degree angle:

Swing your opposite knee to the inside, across your body, so that your knees are pointing at a 45-90 degree angle:

Repeat.

Stretch #3

This one confused me the most.  It's similar to stretch #2, except that you are not driving your knee up.  One way to think about it is as if you're kicking opposite corners of a box (except without kicking your leg out below the knee).  This stretch was also the one I felt the most, as I was using my hips more than in the others.

Bring your opposite knee down and to the outside, as if you are using your knee and hip to drive your foot to the outside corner of a box:

Bring the knee across your body to the opposite side, as if you are trying to drive your foot to the opposite corner of the box:

Don't let your foot touch the ground or the wall.  Repeat.

On Getting Someone to Beat Me Up

Confession time: I'm a huge slacker when it comes to lifting weights.  I think it's boring and, quite frankly, I'd rather spend my workouts running or doing other cardio.

This is not a healthy outlook on working out.  Regular strength training helps increase your bone density, decrease the risk of osteoporosis, raise your resting metabolism, and reduce your risk of joint injuries.  I have known all of this for years; however, I had trouble talking myself in to using weight machines and free weights.  Something had to change.

When I joined a "real" gym last fall I immediately got a trainer.  Yes, he's expensive, but he's worth every penny.  I meet with Rob once a week and, once a week, he beats the crap out of me for 50 minutes and spends the last 10 minutes foam rolling and stretching me.  Once a week I work hard, leave satisfied, and wake up the next morning with painfully sore muscles.

Please don't take that last sentence out of context.

One of the best things about training with Rob is that he's shown me a ton of strength training exercises I can do on my own and quite a few interactive exercises I can do with a friend (if I can ever talk one in to working out with me).  Would I have found these exercises on Pinterest?  Maybe.  But Pinterest can't check my form and make sure I'm doing them properly.  I can't stress enough how important good form is - if you are just starting strength training please schedule a session with a trainer or work out with a friend to have them check your form.  You can really hurt yourself if you're doing things wrong.

After six months of training with Rob (and, yes, doing strength training on my own) I'm slimmer, stronger, and, most importantly, faster.  While I could probably continue these routines on my own, I'd miss chatting with Rob about upcoming races and having him constantly push me to work harder and do more.

If you're thinking about working out with a trainer, go for it.  Even if you can only afford to do it once, it will shake up your regular routine and give you some new options for working out on your own.

I'll Take One in Every Color, Please

I get hung up on running shirts.  Once I find one that works for me, I buy it in every color possible.  As I've already posted about my favorite tank, I thought it only fair to fill you in on my favorite short-sleeved shirt as well.  Behold, the Under Armour Women's UA Escape Get Started Short-sleeved Tshirt.

Yes, that is my personal collection.  Eight of the same shirt.  Three neon versions.  No shame in my game.

Here's how it fits:

(photo from the Under Armour website)

It's fitted, but lose enough that it doesn't ride up.  The fabric is light and sweat-wicking enough to wear running in the summer heat.  The raglan seams prevent chaffing and the sleeves are a flattering length.  Truth be told, I can't find anything wrong with this shirt.... which makes it just right.

The Shin Splints Continue

Yesterday I celebrated National Running Day by going to run club and banging out a 5-mile run.  I use the term "banging out" because those miles hurt.  My shins had been feeling better the past few days and I was able to get through a 7-miler on Tuesday without too much pain; however, that run brought out the worst in me and by mile 1 yesterday I knew I was in for a tough run.

To be completely honest, had I been running on my own I probably would have bagged the run a mile in.  Instead, because I had great company and supportive people around me, I was able to get through the full distance.  One woman, Michelle, was exceptionally supportive and hung back to walk the downhills with me.  I appreciate that more than I can express as the last thing I wanted to do at that point was run alone.  Michelle, if you read this at any point, thank you.

Earlier in the day I found out about a 20% off promotion City Sports was having on run accessories; immediately after run club I got on their website and ordered 3 more pairs of Zensah sleeves.  As I've mentioned in the past, Zensah sleeves have been really helpful.  I've been hesitant to run in them because, well, they look ridiculous.  As my sister so kindly put it: "take off the leg sleeves - you're not a basketball player."  At this point, I'm over how they look.  I've heard they're invaluable in preventing shin splints and dealing with the pain.  The decision between looking silly while running (which I probably do anyway) and not running at all is a no-brainer.

Happy National Running Day!

Today is National Running Day.

I will be celebrating by going to run club and may also try to squeeze in a run on my own (depending on how my shins are feeling).  The National Running Day website has a list of ten ways to celebrate, which are too wonderful not to share:

Declare your passion – People run for millions of reasons, and we want to know yours! Head to www.runningday.org and let the nation know why you run, be it raising money for charity, keeping your waistline in check, or getting to that bagel at the 5K finish line.


Bring a "runway" to work – Swap your loafers and heels for sneakers and you'll be dressed to the nines for National Running Day. Your feet will thank you for it, and it will be that much easier to step out for a short jog during lunch or on your way home from work.


Morph your friends into running fiends – Friends don't let friends just walk on National Running Day! Invite a pal or two—the more the merrier—to hit the road with you. They'll be hooked in no time!


Change Happy Hour to Running Hour – Shake things up by adding a run to your post-work plans. Head out at 5:00 p.m. with some co-workers and relax over miles instead of cocktails.


Strike new ground – Seize the day and take the road you've never traveled. Who knows? You might find a new favorite running path to spice up your summer.


Give the gift of running – Donate to organizations that use running to make a difference in people's lives, like Back on my Feet or Achilles International.


Make running run in the family – They have your eyes, but what about your endurance? Leave the bikes and baseball bats in the garage and run around the neighborhood with the kids. Keep things interesting with a short race to see who is the fastest.


Choose a running resolution – Kick off a new fitness goal on National Running Day. It can be anything, including adding five minutes to your next run, running a new distance, or signing up for a road race.


Take advantage of the great outdoors – Running outside beats spending all your time on the treadmill. Step out the front door and away from the gym to take in a bit of nature during your afternoon run.


Treat yourself like a champion – Set yourself up for success by indulging in your favorite post-run snack, sporting your lucky t-shirt, or helping your feet to a new pair of sneakers.

The website also has information on all sorts of deals, the most interesting of which is if you sign up for a Rock n' Roll race tomorrow you'll save $20.  This is of particular interest to me because I think the Rock 'n Roll races are exceptionally well-run... and really expensive.  I've never seen them offer a discount of more than $10, so I'll be taking advantage of the generous $20 discount and signing up for Rock 'n Roll DC tomorrow.  Who doesn't love a discount?

They are also selling a shirt that has the logo above, with the blank space filled in with "because I love to eat."  I may need to purchase it because if there's one phrase to summarize my life, that's probably it.

Lunch Run - Glover Park

I love running during my lunch break.  Granted, I don't have a designated "lunch break," but there is nothing better than taking a break in the middle of the day to get outside, get a good run in, and clear my head.

The location of my office is both a blessing and a curse - it backs up to Glover Park, but is at one of the highest elevations in DC.  No matter where I run, I am guaranteed an uphill route back.  One of my favorite routes is running downhill through the park then back up the hill on Foxhall Road.

The first time I ran through Glover Park, I hated it.  I've always run on pavement and I almost twisted my ankle approximately 18 times during the first mile.  Over time, I learned to love it.  The mixed terrain forces me to slow down and eases the impact on my knees and shins and the views are unlike anywhere else I've run in the city.  I often have the trail to myself and, as I can't hear any traffic or city sounds, it feels like I've completely escaped.

Of course, a picture is worth 1,000 words...

Jealous yet?  It feels like a different planet from the cubicle jungle I spend the rest of my day in.

I wish I could say the Foxhall Road stretch of my run is just as picturesque, but that would be a boldfaced lie.  Most of it looks like this:

It's hilly, curvy, and boring.  It's also really long with quite a few really steep pitches.  A lot of my coworkers drive this road every day and don't believe anyone would ever willingly run up it.  While I think it looks a lot worse than it actually is, I do feel a sense of accomplishment as I reach the top.  It's also nice to turn around and check out the view.

Not that you can tell from my D-grade photo, but you can see across the Potomac to Virginia between the trees.

The total distance is just shy of 6.5 miles, which is long enough to get a decent break from the office, but short enough that my boss doesn't think I skipped out for the afternoon.  I've been playing around with different routes and distances but keep coming back to this run.

If you live in DC, you should check out Glover Park - it's far less crowded than Rock Creek Park, but just as pretty (if not more so).  It may take a couple of runs to get used to being on a trail, but it's well worth it.

On Choosing to Run an Ultra

I signed up for an ultra on impulse.

Yes, you read that correctly.

In 2009 I was staring at the Marine Corps Marathon website, got the urge to sign up for it, and went with it.  I was in no way ready to run a marathon when I signed up, but I trained for it and finished in one piece.  Seeing as that turned out ok, when I was staring at the 24in24 website and got the urge to sign up for it, I went for it.

20in24 is an interesting race.  Instead of having a set distance runners must cover to finish, the course is an 8.4 mile loop and there are multiple races that take place on the course throughout a 24 hour period.  "Lone ranger" runners have the full 24 hour period to run as many laps as possible.  5-person relay teams also cover as many laps as possible during the 24 hour period.  If hanging around a race course for 24 hours sounds unappealing, there are also two one-loop races - a "midnight madness" run at midnight and a "pajama loop" at 6am.

I am officially a "lone ranger."  Sounds cool, doesn't it?  I think it'll be nice to have fresh runners on the course at midnight and 6am - hopefully their energy and enthusiasm will rub off on me when I'm cranky, sore, and tired.

20in24 is a fundraiser for Back on My Feet, a nonprofit which uses running to teach the homeless population independence and self-sufficiency.  That was a horrible paraphrase of what is on the BoMF website, which I'll paste below:

Founded by Anne Mahlum in 2007, Back on My Feet (BoMF) is a national nonprofit organization that is dedicated to creating independence and self-sufficiency within the homeless and other underserved populations by first engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem. The organization does not provide food nor shelter, but instead provides a community that embraces equality, respect, discipline, teamwork and leadership. Back on My Feet’s approach focuses on the very profound and innate desire for all of us – regardless of age, race, socio-economic status – to feel recognized, appreciated, valued and important. Through dedication and hard work, Members earn the opportunity to create a new road for themselves by advancing to the “Next Steps” phase of the program where they gain access to educational, job training and employment opportunities, as well as financial aid. In short, BoMF focuses on changing the direction of people’s lives by changing the way they see themselves. 

I am on BoMF DC's email list-serv and am constantly impressed by the news I receive about BoMF members.  It's exciting to read about members who have completed half-marathons and marathons, found jobs, and moved in to their own apartments.  The drive and dedication these individuals exhibit in overcoming their circumstances is nothing short of amazing.  I am proud to support BoMF and am looking forward to getting more involved with the organization after completing 20in24.

While the decision to sign up for 20in24 was an impulse, I'm happy I went through with it.  My goal is 6 laps, which is 50.4 miles.  I'm looking forward to pushing myself physically and seeing what I'm capable of.  Even if I fall short on the mileage, I know it will be a great experience.

International Race for the Cure 2012

It was a dark and stormy night... which gave way to morning weather perfect for running.  As my dad and I walked toward the start line of the 2012 International Race for the Cure, there was a cool breeze blowing and a few clouds overhead. I couldn't have asked for more ideal racing weather.

The first thing we noticed when we arrived at the start is how fewer runners there were this year.  This past year, Susan G. Komen for the Cure made a controversial decision, which they later reversed, that caused a lot of donors to back away from the organization.  (Sidenote: please do not comment on this post regarding that decision - this post is purely about my experience at the race and is not meant to incite a political discussion.)  This year registration for Race for the Cure was down 40% and that was definitely noticeable both at the start and throughout the race.  I had a lot more room to run than I have in past years.

Walking up to the start

As we waited for the race to start we took a couple of photos, one of which turned out semi-decent.  I tried to meet up with some friends before the race, but they were running late and, despite the drop in registration, it was hard to find anyone in the crowd.

My dad and I before the race

The race started and I took off.  My dad is slower than I am, so we have an understanding that during races we'll each run at our own pace and meet up at the finish line.  The route was a bit different than last year, but we still ran past the Washington Monument and alongside the mall.  As I ran, I struck up conversation with a few random people I was pacing with.  I don't know when I became "that" runner (and I feel like I got there 20 years earlier than normal), but it was nice to have some entertainment as I ran.

Approaching the Washington Monument on the course

As I approached the finish, I could feel the temperature rising.  I was really happy to be done, and even got a call-out from the announcer!  Instead of moving along, I decide to wait near the finish line (out of the way of incoming runners, of course), to see if I could get a photo of my dad finishing the race.  Lo and behold...

My dad finishing

He looks pretty awesome, right?  His hand is up because he was setting up for a finish line high-five with me.  As he crossed, the announcer called him out for finishing the race at his age.  I proceeded to make fun of him about this for the rest of the morning.  Mature, I know.

One thing that distinguishes Race for the Cure from other races I run is the volume of free stuff at the finish line.  Who doesn't love free stuff?  There were a ton of vendors handing out pink everything - backpacks, sunglasses, pens, scarves, you name it and it was probably there.  They were set up between the finish line and the food/water at the end, so it was a bit of a zoo getting through there.

Crowds grabbing pink swag at the finish line

Once we stocked up on free pink everything, we decided to head out, but not before taking a quick photo in front of the Capitol.

My dad and I after the race - it was really sunny and I was happy to have new pink sunglasses!

Running Race for the Cure is a family tradition - after my mom passed of breast cancer we've run it every year.  It's always wonderful to see so many people turn out to support a great cause, though it's bittersweet to see how many people the disease has personally affected.  While I had a wonderful time with my dad, I really wish my sister could have been there with us (the storms / tornado warnings the night before kept her in Baltimore).  Oh well - there's always next year!

Justin's Run 5k

Last Saturday I ran the Justin Jenning's Memorial Day 5k with my stepmother, my friend Jason, and his dad, Mr. K.  As with any event at the beach, we ran in to a ton of people we knew before the race started - this made it a lot of fun at the finish, as we ended up with a pack of 10-12 runners to cheer for who all race at different paces.  What makes this different from events at home is that none of us (except Jason and I) were under 40.  I wish I had a photo of everyone, but corralling a large group of 50-somethings in to a photo is harder than doing the same with 5 year-olds.  Who knew?  Instead, here's a photo of Jason and me (and Mr. K on the right, who didn't realize he was in our photo).

Don't mind my sweaty... well... everything.  I decided to build up some mileage by running to the start line from my house, which was around 3.3 miles.  That gave me a chance to warm up and try to acclimate to the heat and humidity.  And by "acclimate to the heat and humidity" I actually mean "sweat, a LOT."

Let's get something clear - Jason is FAST.  The original plan was for him to run the first mile at an 8:30 pace with me to keep things "nice and slow" for him and to challenge me.  We didn't stick to that plan.  About a half mile in, it became painfully obvious to both Jason and I that we were not meant to run together.  I was barely holding an 8:45 pace, while he was chomping at the bit to take off.  And off he went.  Apparently he did not let a single runner pass him after he left me - every time someone came close to passing him, he'd speed up until he lost them.  Insane.  He finished in 23:29, which is an average pace of about 7:31.  I will never be that fast, and I'm totally ok with it.

After Jason took off, I plodded along for the next two miles, making friends with random runners.  With a bit over a half mile left to go, I finally caught up with Mr. K, who I'd been chasing for 15 minutes.  We ran together to the 3 mile marker, where I sprinted to the finish.  I finished in 27:10, which is an average pace of about 8:42 - I'll take it.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the race is a fundraiser for Justin's Beach House, a home in the Bethany Beach area where families with cancer can have a place of respite and enjoy the beach and family time.  It's a great organization, which you can find out more about here.

Hey Girl...

(courtesy of hey runner girl)

Happy Friday.